Negotiation

We are convinced that the only way forward is for Indigenous governments, public governments and industry to come to understandings about how they will treat each other and their respective rights and responsibilities.

In over 30 years of negotiations, Dave has participated in - and usually led - a broad range of successful Indigenous negotiations, including:

Federal / Provincial / Indigenous funding agreements;

Modern-day treaties;

Treaty cost-sharing negotiations ;

Child and family services delegation agreements;

Protocol agreements between Industry and Indigenous Governments ;

Indigenous contracting arrangements;

Indigenous participation in fieldwork, studies, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Traditional Use Studies; and

Impact Benefit Agreements (and its many variants) between Industry and Indigenous Governments.

​Negotiations seek agreed approaches to:

What is the nature of the relationship?

How will we treat each other?

How will new projects be reviewed?

What will be the employment and contracting opportunities?

What environmental processes will we have in place? How will they be monitored and by whom?

What areas will be kept free from development and what rules will there be for developments that we agree will proceed?

How will continued access be assured?

How will we integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Western science?

What compensation or benefits will accrue to the Indigenous party? What assurance does the developer receive that the project will be permitted to proceed?

How will true partnerships be developed?

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In February 2017, Dave was interviewed by Dr. Evan Hoffman, Senior Associate of the Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation (www.ciian.org) on Best Practices in Indigenous Engagement and Negotiations in Canada.

​The raw YouTube video is at your right.

In April 2016, Dave published this article outlining some of the key lessons in Indigenous Negotiations:

Contact Dave to explore how he can support your development and relationship goals.